Fuel lids that cover refueling ports in vehicles, such as automobiles, have been known. The fuel lids are typically attached to vehicle bodies via hinges. For example, Patent Literature (hereinafter, referred to as “PTL”) 1 discloses an opening and closing apparatus that causes a shaft-shaped pushrod (plunger) to move forward and backward in an axial direction of the pushrod to open and close the fuel lid. The pushrod moves forward and backward between a pushed-in position where the fuel lid is closed and a pushed-out position where the fuel lid is opened, and rotates in a rotational direction about an axis of the pushrod while moving forward or backward. A distal end of the push rod is provided with a lid securing portion, and the fuel lid is provided with a secured portion. When the pushrod is located in the pushed in position, the lid securing portion secures the secured portion of the fuel lid. A closed state in which the fuel lid covers the refueling port is thus set. During the forward movement of the pushrod toward the protruding position, the pushrod and the lid securing portion rotate to release the secured state between the latching section and the latched section of the fuel lid, so that the refueling port having covered the fuel lid is open.
The opening and closing apparatus in PTL 1 has a locking mechanism that locks the forward/backward movement of the pushrod (FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 in PTL 1). The locking mechanism drives a motor to cause a securing member to secure the pushrod to regulate moving forward or backward of the pushrod. When the locking mechanism regulates moving forward or backward of the pushrod, the pushrod does not move forward or backward even when the fuel lid is operated, and thus, the state of the fuel lid does not turn into the open state from the closed state.